In the past it was the norm for men to have longer hair, at least longer than what is considered short on a man today.
But until recently, as recent at World War I, suddenly it became a norm in the west for men to have short hair. This can be attributed to war and lice.
We have a weird cultural perception, in the west, that the way things are now have been so for hundreds and hundreds of years, but most of the time it is false. The association with diamonds and engagement rings was the product of a successful marketing campaign, as were eating eggs and bacon in the morning. Before the 1920's, blue was a color for girls, pink for boys, and both genders until a certain age wore dresses. When most people were farmers, both parents stayed home to take care of the children since the farm they worked on was right next to their house. We have a lot of "traditions" that we are made to believe to be some long standing persistent thing, when some clever person thought of a way to get everyone to think it was always normal to satisfy a client and to sell units.
Upvote328
But until recently, as recent at World War I, suddenly it became a norm in the west for men to have short hair. This can be attributed to war and lice.
Before World War One men generally had longer hair and beards. However, short hair on men has often been enforced as a mean of control, in police, military and other forces that require obedience and discipline. Slaves and defeated armies were often required to shave their heads. The trench warfare in 1914 to 1918 exposed men to flea and lice infestations, which prompted the order to cut short hair, establishing a norm that has persisted. Long hair
We have a weird cultural perception, in the west, that the way things are now have been so for hundreds and hundreds of years, but most of the time it is false. The association with diamonds and engagement rings was the product of a successful marketing campaign, as were eating eggs and bacon in the morning. Before the 1920's, blue was a color for girls, pink for boys, and both genders until a certain age wore dresses. When most people were farmers, both parents stayed home to take care of the children since the farm they worked on was right next to their house. We have a lot of "traditions" that we are made to believe to be some long standing persistent thing, when some clever person thought of a way to get everyone to think it was always normal to satisfy a client and to sell units.
Upvote328
Gosh, you'd probably have to hop in a time machine and go back to cave man times to find that out.
As Chloe Shani Malveaux points out, during various time periods and across various cultures it has often been customary for men to have much longer hair than they do today. But even so, there is a consistent pattern of shortER hair on men, and longER hair on women. If there has ever been an ancient society where the norm was for women to have shorter hair and men to have longer hair, I haven't heard of it.
Like I said it would be very difficult to answer this question definitively without the benefit of a time machine, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the custom of longer hair being feminine and shorter hair being masculine evolved from the different roles men and women have traditionally been pushed into. For most of our time on this planet we've been hunter-gatherers. This whole "farming" experiment is a fairly recent development, and one not without its faults compared to hunting and gathering.
Anyway, in a hunter-gatherer society you generally see strictly defined gender roles. The men hunted and protected the camp, and the women cared for the children and did, essentially, housework (camp work?) as well as foraging for food when they could, but not usually very far from the camp. One could posit that hair past a certain length would be a liability for a hunter/fighter. It could possibly get in his way or fall into his face while stalking prey, snag on branches and things while tracking an animal through the brush, it would be terribly uncomfortable in a hot climate, etc. Or if you came upon a rival clan of hunters and a fight broke out an opponent could grab your long hair and hold you still while he clubbed you to death. Especially long and thick hair can even restrict your head movement or cause you physical injury. The actor who played Ronon Dex on Stargate: Atlantis reportedly suffered whiplash and headaches during action scenes due to his 6-pound dreadlocks.
On the other hand, if you're a woman and your daily activities are sewing clothes, cooking food, picking wild berries in a field, and so on, long hair is not as much of a detriment so you can afford to grow it out longer.
So under this theory, the general preference for shorter hair on men and longer hair on women would originally have been a practical decision. The men found longer hair a detriment so they cut it as short as necessary, and the women didn't find longer hair a detriment so they didn't bother. Over many hundreds or thousands of generations these practical decisions evolved into cultural customs. Shorter hair on men and longer hair on women now becomes asexual display characteristic, allowing each gender to show off how manly/womanly they are to attract a suitable mate. Even long after the practical reasons for men cutting their hair short have disappeared we still maintain the general rule that men must have shorter hair than women, because relative hair length is now inextricably tied into our definition of what is masculine and what is feminine.
As Chloe Shani Malveaux points out, during various time periods and across various cultures it has often been customary for men to have much longer hair than they do today. But even so, there is a consistent pattern of shortER hair on men, and longER hair on women. If there has ever been an ancient society where the norm was for women to have shorter hair and men to have longer hair, I haven't heard of it.
Like I said it would be very difficult to answer this question definitively without the benefit of a time machine, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the custom of longer hair being feminine and shorter hair being masculine evolved from the different roles men and women have traditionally been pushed into. For most of our time on this planet we've been hunter-gatherers. This whole "farming" experiment is a fairly recent development, and one not without its faults compared to hunting and gathering.
Anyway, in a hunter-gatherer society you generally see strictly defined gender roles. The men hunted and protected the camp, and the women cared for the children and did, essentially, housework (camp work?) as well as foraging for food when they could, but not usually very far from the camp. One could posit that hair past a certain length would be a liability for a hunter/fighter. It could possibly get in his way or fall into his face while stalking prey, snag on branches and things while tracking an animal through the brush, it would be terribly uncomfortable in a hot climate, etc. Or if you came upon a rival clan of hunters and a fight broke out an opponent could grab your long hair and hold you still while he clubbed you to death. Especially long and thick hair can even restrict your head movement or cause you physical injury. The actor who played Ronon Dex on Stargate: Atlantis reportedly suffered whiplash and headaches during action scenes due to his 6-pound dreadlocks.
On the other hand, if you're a woman and your daily activities are sewing clothes, cooking food, picking wild berries in a field, and so on, long hair is not as much of a detriment so you can afford to grow it out longer.
So under this theory, the general preference for shorter hair on men and longer hair on women would originally have been a practical decision. The men found longer hair a detriment so they cut it as short as necessary, and the women didn't find longer hair a detriment so they didn't bother. Over many hundreds or thousands of generations these practical decisions evolved into cultural customs. Shorter hair on men and longer hair on women now becomes asexual display characteristic, allowing each gender to show off how manly/womanly they are to attract a suitable mate. Even long after the practical reasons for men cutting their hair short have disappeared we still maintain the general rule that men must have shorter hair than women, because relative hair length is now inextricably tied into our definition of what is masculine and what is feminine.
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20 upvotes by Nick Palombo, David K Clark, Irina Koryagina, (more)
Hair-length's gender associations are highly culturally relative.
Two thousand years ago, in Roman society, it was the norm for all men to have their hair cut short; it was seen as a mark of a civilized man.
To the vikings, short hair was the sign of a slave. Therefore, most free men and women sported long hair in the North.
In China, from the Mongol occupation until the Communist revolution, a shaven head with a long ponytail was the norm for men.
To the Franks, a shaven back of the head was popular and warrior-like, so most men wore them.
Alexander the Great was obsessed with hair and encouraged his men to keep their hair cut and faces clean (long hair is an occupational hazard in the army since it can be pulled).
In many parts of Africa, long hair on men is or was the norm prior to colonization.
In western society until recently, long hair on men was fairly common.
To the hippies, long hair on men was the norm.
Is there anything inherently manly about short hair? No. It's just trendy.
Two thousand years ago, in Roman society, it was the norm for all men to have their hair cut short; it was seen as a mark of a civilized man.
To the vikings, short hair was the sign of a slave. Therefore, most free men and women sported long hair in the North.
In China, from the Mongol occupation until the Communist revolution, a shaven head with a long ponytail was the norm for men.
To the Franks, a shaven back of the head was popular and warrior-like, so most men wore them.
Alexander the Great was obsessed with hair and encouraged his men to keep their hair cut and faces clean (long hair is an occupational hazard in the army since it can be pulled).
In many parts of Africa, long hair on men is or was the norm prior to colonization.
In western society until recently, long hair on men was fairly common.
To the hippies, long hair on men was the norm.
Is there anything inherently manly about short hair? No. It's just trendy.
EDIT: Thanks to Chloe for her excellent answer and for inspiring me to update mine.
Caveat: I currently have long hair.
On every continent, and in many different eras, men have been much more likely to be expected to cut their hair short than women. Not that individual men never wore hair long, or certain classes of men within a given society, or men in certain societies. The English kings, as another answer proves, wore their hair long for a period. The Viking freemen wore their hair long and proudly decorated and braided it beautifully. In many cultures only slave males wore their hair short (were forced to), or else only responsible men wore their hair short. But the original question is based on a profound observation: on the whole, men have been asked to wear their hair short, far more often than women. Why? And what answer could also explain all the exceptions listed above?
The best answer I have heard that would explain the wide distribution of this tradition is: long hair is a tremendous disadvantage in close combat. Long hair gives your enemy a way to wrench your neck into an exposed position from nearly any angle of attack, or to throw you, or to lock onto you more firmly than any grappling hold. Whether the consequence is death, injury, defeat, or mere humiliation, it is enough to dissuade the average male and the average society from embracing the beautiful male mane.
Thus, if you really are likely to face grappling combat as a male, you really will have an advantage to wear your hair short. You might find safety as a nobleman whose contests are always solved by sword or firearm; you might even decide, like Samson or the Viking freemen, to boast of your overwhelming skill in combat by wearing your hair long despite the disadvantages. But the Vikings died out. :)
In any society where males do not need to engage in close combat or melee contests, this standard soon erodes. Lice isn't reason enough to keep it going--lice doesn't favor males over females. And raw style isn't enough--fashions change constantly and would get bored with short hair after a while, and long hair offers too many interesting possibilities to be long ignored on aesthetic grounds.
And thus, I get away with wearing my hair long. :)
Caveat: I currently have long hair.
On every continent, and in many different eras, men have been much more likely to be expected to cut their hair short than women. Not that individual men never wore hair long, or certain classes of men within a given society, or men in certain societies. The English kings, as another answer proves, wore their hair long for a period. The Viking freemen wore their hair long and proudly decorated and braided it beautifully. In many cultures only slave males wore their hair short (were forced to), or else only responsible men wore their hair short. But the original question is based on a profound observation: on the whole, men have been asked to wear their hair short, far more often than women. Why? And what answer could also explain all the exceptions listed above?
The best answer I have heard that would explain the wide distribution of this tradition is: long hair is a tremendous disadvantage in close combat. Long hair gives your enemy a way to wrench your neck into an exposed position from nearly any angle of attack, or to throw you, or to lock onto you more firmly than any grappling hold. Whether the consequence is death, injury, defeat, or mere humiliation, it is enough to dissuade the average male and the average society from embracing the beautiful male mane.
Thus, if you really are likely to face grappling combat as a male, you really will have an advantage to wear your hair short. You might find safety as a nobleman whose contests are always solved by sword or firearm; you might even decide, like Samson or the Viking freemen, to boast of your overwhelming skill in combat by wearing your hair long despite the disadvantages. But the Vikings died out. :)
In any society where males do not need to engage in close combat or melee contests, this standard soon erodes. Lice isn't reason enough to keep it going--lice doesn't favor males over females. And raw style isn't enough--fashions change constantly and would get bored with short hair after a while, and long hair offers too many interesting possibilities to be long ignored on aesthetic grounds.
And thus, I get away with wearing my hair long. :)
Quora User, Once upon a time, my hair was a meter... (more)
15 upvotes by Erica Friedman, Alen Zsivkov, Christopher Pow, (more)
It is completely determined by society expectations and limitations and how rebellious each individual is. There are women with very short hair (even crew cuts and shaved heads), and there are men with very long hair. They are usually the more rebellious types, or they grew up with the ability to choose (their parents didn't force society's expectations upon them).
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10 upvotes by Bennett Nelson, John Joganic, Chris Bast, (more)
For the same reason that women tend evolutionarily to be as tall as men's noses and dancing is popular among daters... Sex pheromones.
Women secrete some of their more potent pheromones along with the oils of the scalp. Brushing the hair can distribute these throughout the hair. Dancing gives a man's nostrils prolonged exposure to this potent lure (and others). Ever notice that dating women tend to wear their hair long and then cut it much shorter on getting married?
As a child of the sixties, my hair got up to waist length. For men, that's a fashion statement. For women, it's that and much more. The fact that a woman's average height puts an average man's nose at the top of her head says just how much more. That height differential has apparently sped up breeding success in our evolutionary line for millions of years now.
(Guess where a man secretes his most potent pheromones... yup, just below the nose of his dance partner.)
Women secrete some of their more potent pheromones along with the oils of the scalp. Brushing the hair can distribute these throughout the hair. Dancing gives a man's nostrils prolonged exposure to this potent lure (and others). Ever notice that dating women tend to wear their hair long and then cut it much shorter on getting married?
As a child of the sixties, my hair got up to waist length. For men, that's a fashion statement. For women, it's that and much more. The fact that a woman's average height puts an average man's nose at the top of her head says just how much more. That height differential has apparently sped up breeding success in our evolutionary line for millions of years now.
(Guess where a man secretes his most potent pheromones... yup, just below the nose of his dance partner.)
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6 upvotes by Chloe Shani Malveaux, Tara Dockery, Quora User, (more)
Like Chloe says, men used to wear long hair:
Two British kings:
Charles Irst
Edward Vth
Two French Kings:
Jean Le Bon
Louis XIIIth
Two British kings:
Two French Kings:
I would say, it is an individual choice and rather, to go with the herd (keeping in with the trend). Generally maintaining long hair is tough, that may also be one of the reasons. Historically, people (both men and women)used to maintain long hair, but fashion keeps on evolving every day.
I am a Hindu and yes in my country, ascetics/sadhus generally keep long hair, may be because they are no longer bothered about their physical appearance which is also a materialistic trait.
I am a Hindu and yes in my country, ascetics/sadhus generally keep long hair, may be because they are no longer bothered about their physical appearance which is also a materialistic trait.
Harry Noyes
3 upvotes by Kathryn Hedges, Vipul Naik, and Yateesh Kumar Malagondanahalli Nandeeshmurthy.
The role of war is much older than WWI. Alexander the Great is said to have ordered his soldiers to shave and cut their hair to prevent the enemy from grabbing hold of them by beard or locks. Roman legionnaires followed the same practice, and to judge from statues most Roman men did, too. Perhaps the return of hairy soldiers in early modern times was related to firearms reducing the occurrence of hand-to-hand battle. (NFL players should pay heed. I saw one get tackled by his extremely long hair the other day.)
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2 upvotes by Zeeshan Ali and Nina J. Hodgson.
Because men get bald. Women don't.
If you are losing hair, keeping hair long is not a good idea. Mechanical force will wear out the roots eventually.
If you are losing hair, keeping hair long is not a good idea. Mechanical force will wear out the roots eventually.
Lustrous long hair is a potent physical signal of youth and hence female reproductive potential. It is harder to judge age when the hair is shorter. That's why a lot of middle-aged women gravitate toward shorter hairstyles, as it hides their advanced age better. Long hair is similar to big breasts in this regard.Perky big breasts in a young woman are attractive because they signal youth. Saggy, pendulous ones in a middle-aged women are disfiguring; that's why many large-breasted older women get breast reductions or wear strong support bras to better hide their age.
Youth of the male partner is less important to reproductive success. But perhaps more importantly, long hair in males would interfere with hunting and be a serious handicap in physical confrontations.
Youth of the male partner is less important to reproductive success. But perhaps more importantly, long hair in males would interfere with hunting and be a serious handicap in physical confrontations.
There are some great and impressive answers here. Here are a few of my theories to add in to the mix:
1) It is important to people to distinguish quickly between the genders and long hair can confuse someone initially or from certain angles.
2) Historically, men have been encouraged to work more and worry about their looks less as it is time consuming and can interrupt their productivity. Women have conversely been encouraged to take more time enhancing their beauty.
3) Men's hair falls out and thins much more than women's. This is supposedly due to the conversion of testosterone to DHT. I once had beautiful hair in my 20's and at a certain length it began thinning and falling out when brushing it. I quickly cut it short in fear of going bald and it hasn't fallen out or thinned since.
4) Women might genetically have better hair genes than men. Due to genetic ancestry, women have taken great care of their hair for thousands of years. Us men have not, and therefore it may not be in a lot of our genes to grow it out in an attractive way. An asian man might have better hair than a caucasian like myself, and I wonder if this may be related to them trying harder to maintain it than we have throughout time.
5) Women are historically much more competitive with each other about their appearance whereas men have been more competitive with each for power and status. Men are also known to supposedly care about a woman's appearance more than a woman cares about a man's in comparison to other qualities when searching for mates.
6) As mentioned, it really would be a disadvantage in combat.
7) Climate: In very cold regions, beards are more common where men might have been outdoors hiking or fishing in snow. In hot regions, men might have been outdoors in the brunt of the sun farming and carrying objects and would have wanted to cut it short to stay cool. Women might have been indoors in the shade and so their hair might have not have affected their internal body temperatures as greatly.
Hope this was helpful. So many excellent answers before me.
1) It is important to people to distinguish quickly between the genders and long hair can confuse someone initially or from certain angles.
2) Historically, men have been encouraged to work more and worry about their looks less as it is time consuming and can interrupt their productivity. Women have conversely been encouraged to take more time enhancing their beauty.
3) Men's hair falls out and thins much more than women's. This is supposedly due to the conversion of testosterone to DHT. I once had beautiful hair in my 20's and at a certain length it began thinning and falling out when brushing it. I quickly cut it short in fear of going bald and it hasn't fallen out or thinned since.
4) Women might genetically have better hair genes than men. Due to genetic ancestry, women have taken great care of their hair for thousands of years. Us men have not, and therefore it may not be in a lot of our genes to grow it out in an attractive way. An asian man might have better hair than a caucasian like myself, and I wonder if this may be related to them trying harder to maintain it than we have throughout time.
5) Women are historically much more competitive with each other about their appearance whereas men have been more competitive with each for power and status. Men are also known to supposedly care about a woman's appearance more than a woman cares about a man's in comparison to other qualities when searching for mates.
6) As mentioned, it really would be a disadvantage in combat.
7) Climate: In very cold regions, beards are more common where men might have been outdoors hiking or fishing in snow. In hot regions, men might have been outdoors in the brunt of the sun farming and carrying objects and would have wanted to cut it short to stay cool. Women might have been indoors in the shade and so their hair might have not have affected their internal body temperatures as greatly.
Hope this was helpful. So many excellent answers before me.
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3 upvotes by Sayan Mukherjee, Archan Pratap Mishra, and Kartik Francis Cordeiro.
In Indian history early kings have all been sporting long hair - long enough to touch your shoulders. Short hair and Levi jeans are inventions of modern lifestyle
Most women can't cut their own hair, and the cost of weekly beauty salons is outrageous. Back in the earlier times, I believe it was taboo to cut a woman's hair. It's easier to put up on your head and easier to keep up in a ball on your head. Although some women had curly hair and long curly trusses.
The selfish gene. It is more important for women to look good. The natural effect is enhanced by culture. Long hair in women is beautiful. As an opposed effect men would cut it shorter. Long hair might have been unuseful for war and hunting. At remote tribes in jungles, young boys often have short hair and young girls long.
In modern times fashion may overrule all this. My grandparents wanted me to have short hair on the national day and in the first days of christmas. Apart from that they didn't bother.
In modern times fashion may overrule all this. My grandparents wanted me to have short hair on the national day and in the first days of christmas. Apart from that they didn't bother.